The 2004 Martha’s Vineyard, which was tasted in New York at the same tasting where the 2007 chardonnay was sampled, is a bit lower in alcohol than several of these other vintages, as it comes in at an even fourteen percent. The wine was raised in eighty percent new wood this vintage, but carries its wood component quite well. The bouquet is deep, complex and very classy, as it delivers scents of red and black cherries, chocolate, a gentle touch of mint, lovely soil tones and a generous coating of spicy oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and beautifully balanced, with a fine core of fruit, lovely purity and balance and very long, ripely tannic and fairly oaky finish. The new wood component here seems to be a tad less well-integrated on the backend than with some of these other young vintages of Martha’s, and I wonder if the crop was a little short and they needed to use the barrels that they had bought. In any case, this will be a very good vintage of Martha’s Vineyard that should start drinking in another five to seven years.
JG93May 2011
Shows hints of maturity, with chocolate mint, cherry and currant flavors that are intense yet elegant, balanced and stylish. Full-bodied, firm and focused, this is complex and concentrated without being heavy, offering the wine's classic style and personality.
WS93October 2009